Peace SOS
May May Meijer interviewed on behalf of FSSF by Rob Groot.
FEEDING HOPE IN WAR ZONES
A PACIFIST’S MISSION TO COMBAT HUNGER AND CONFLICT
In a world increasingly divided by conflict, May-May Meijer stands as a beacon of unwavering conviction. A former member of the Dutch Liberal Party’s Foreign Affairs Committee, she leverages her political acumen not for legislative victories but for something far more fundamental: promoting peace through practical action. As founder of the Peace SOS Foundation, May-May embodies a Christianity rooted in pacifism and the belief that war can never be morally justified, even in self-defense. Her decade-long mission combines advocacy for world peace with tangible food aid programs that reach the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed in the world’s most dangerous regions focused on a simple but powerful goal: “for a world where all children can play”.
Pragmatic Compassion in Crisis Zones
Peace SOS distinguishes itself through grassroots connections and creative problem-solving rather than bureaucratic structures. Meijer’s approach centers on empowering local people through established relationships and trust networks. When famine struck southern Madagascar in 2022, she partnered with a friend whose husband, a famous regional singer, could mobilize community volunteers. Together they distributed 2,000 bags of rice across four sessions, leveraging local media coverage through volunteer journalists to amplify awareness. The project succeeded because it built on friendship, local leadership, and volunteer dedication.
Currently, Peace SOS directs most resources toward Gaza, where their local team faces mounting challenges. Bombings targeted desalination plants, making clean drinking water provision progressively more difficult. Despite these dangers, the Gaza team continues distributing food and water while advocating for peace through peaceful means. Meijer emphasizes that media narratives disproportionately feature militia leaders and violence while silencing voices pursuing peace. She has approached outlets like Al Jazeera and BBC, arguing that platforming peacemakers rather than armed groups would reshape public perception and demonstrate that Gazans – like people everywhere – simply want safety, dignity, and the ability to care for their children.
Peace SOS also supports courageous pacifists in conflict zones, including Yurii Sheliazhenko, the leader of Ukraine’s pacifist movement who faces investigation by Ukrainian security services for refusing to kill and assisting others in conscientious objection. Additionally, the foundation operates projects in Uganda, where Peace SOS financed passion fruit tree gardens to provide sustainable livelihoods. This strategy addresses a root cause of militia recruitment: when people lack economic opportunities, armed groups offering income and weapons become attractive. By making communities self-sufficient through farming, Peace SOS removes incentives for joining militias.
Expanding Impact Through Strategic Partnerships
After temporarily halting various projects to improve monitoring systems, Peace SOS now seeks to expand operations thoughtfully. May-May expresses particular interest in collaborating with food industry companies that share her ethical standards and demonstrate genuine corporate social responsibility. She welcomes partnerships that respect local markets—stimulating rather than undermining local farmers—and remains cautious about flooding regions with external food that could destroy internal economies.
The foundation’s vision extends beyond immediate relief to systemic change. In Uganda, a permaculture garden project enables refugees to grow food both for consumption and market sale, creating pathways toward self-sufficiency. This model reflects Meijer’s core philosophy: sustainable peace requires addressing poverty’s root causes alongside conflict prevention.
May-May invites individuals and companies to join her mission of creating “a world in which all children can play.” Her book, titled “Here I Am,” encapsulates her philosophy of presence and action. For May-May, pacifism means more than rejecting violence – it demands actively building alternatives, one community at a time.
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